EU 1999
(also not up to current tech specs)
COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION of 12 July 1999 on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz), 1999/519/EC
What it does
In 1999 the EU created a Recommendation on public exposure. The values in it are taken directly from ICNIRP 1998. It recommends that Member States introduce these limits for public exposure with certain provisos:
taking account of the costs and benefits
where the time of exposure is significant
As the name suggests, it is not binding. The UK and several other European countries have in fact complied. The EU have published a report on implementation of the Recommendation.
The values
The values in the Recommendation are identical to ICNIRP. For 50 Hz the basic restriction is 2 mA m-2 and the reference levels are 100 μT and 5 kV m-1 (see here for the values at 60 Hz). The reference levels deliberately have a margin; the fields that actually correspond to the basic restriction are 360 μT and 9 kV m-1 more on how these limits are calculated
Where they apply
The Recommendation specifies that Member States should:
“II. (b) implement measures according to this framework……when the time of exposure is significant….. “
“III (c) may take into account criteria, where appropriate, such as duration of the exposure…..”
The preamble states:
“(9) This recommendation …..applies, in particular, to relevant areas where members of the public spend significant time in relation to the effects covered by this recommendation;”
